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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29128617">Spy Family</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitana/pseuds/mitana'>mitana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Service in the Shadows [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Scarecrow and Mrs. King</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:15:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,255</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29128617</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitana/pseuds/mitana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just another week with the spy family. The Agency's new class of recruits includes one Mr. King.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amanda King/Lee Stetson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Service in the Shadows [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Wednesday, January 15, 2003 (Station One, Day 3)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Wednesday, January 15, 2003 (Station One, Day 3)*</p><p>“What do you think of the new recruits?” Lee Stetson didn’t get out into the field much anymore (okay, make that <em>ever</em>); he was pretty much stuck behind a desk all day.  At least, when he wasn’t in meetings on Capitol Hill, or with the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security, or with whoever was the Alphabet Soup du jour.   He rarely had time to read reports on something as mundane as the current class of Agency recruits.  Luckily, he knew he could count on his new Field Section Chief to keep him up-to-date.</p><p>Hence, the question he had directed toward her.  After 9/11, it had become simultaneously easier and more difficult to recruit new agents.  The country was awash in an abundance of patriotism and outright anger.  That led to an interesting cross-section of potential candidates.  The variety opened up a surfeit of possibilities that had heretofore been untenable. However, the attacks had highlighted several weaknesses in the country’s defenses, one of which was the depth (or lack thereof) of background checks for people in key positions or in performing preliminary classification. This had complicated the recruiting process due to the tremendous amount of paperwork and man-hours required to do those preliminary background checks. It had also created a nightmare-level flurry of housekeeping in the Intelligence field that had swept his predecessor out the door and ushered him (reluctantly) in.</p><p>Almost a year into his new position, he was still learning the ropes.  He was glad he had people he knew he could trust working with him.  Aaron Jeffries, the Deputy Director who had been in that position during 9/11, had survived the housekeeping that followed the attack, but he had been near retirement.  He had not wanted the Directorship when it was offered to him, but he had agreed to remain in his position while Lee was learning his. Ten months later, Jeffries had judged that Stetson could get along without him, and had put through his retirement papers. He had been working for the last month on a part-time basis as his replacement adjusted to her new duties.</p><p>Francine Desmond’s promotion to Deputy Director of the Agency only eleven months after Lee’s rise to the position of Director had been an interesting turn of events.  She was perhaps the person most surprised at the offer, since she had assumed her somewhat contentious history with Lee Stetson would preclude her from being offered the position. But he was willing to put up with Francine’s provoking behaviors in order to have someone he trusted in the position. Besides, they had both matured over the years, and in fact, he counted Francine as one of his closest friends.</p><p>Francine’s promotion had left the Field Section Chief position empty.  There had been several options to choose from, but it really came down to only one in the end. Francine had surprised him with her recommendation.  How far they had all come from Francine’s snide comments and casual dismissal of everything Amanda represented.  </p><p>It was somewhat out of the ordinary (okay, more like unprecedented) for the Director’s wife to be the Field Section Chief.  It had taken an impressive amount of legal paperwork to get it through, but Amanda was so well-liked and respected that even the other agents who had been up for the position had agreed that she was the best person for the job.</p><p>The inaugural Agency Recruit Class of 2003 was also Amanda Stetson’s first stint as the instructor in charge of it. She had extensive experience with the training program, however.  Her first exposure to  Station One was in her second year as civilian auxiliary, but that experience had been prematurely ended when Russian assassins had attempted to kill her. Her next time through, she had passed it and was able to achieve freshman agent status.  She had then participated multiple times as the ringer over several years (she seemed to possess a talent for appearing inexperienced, and was so friendly and talkative that she could get people to open up about themselves).  She had also served as the assistant instructor through multiple classes of recruits. So she knew what she was doing.</p><p>Amanda Stetson, Field Section Chief of the Agency, didn’t answer her Director husband’s question in the way he had been expecting, especially considering they were eating dinner at home when he asked it. “I think we’ll be losing two of them before the week is out.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Stevens was caught with a cell phone today.  And I’m not sure Zuckman is going to pass the next psych eval.  There’s just something not quite right about him.”</p><p>The names didn’t mean anything to him.  Until they became agents, he didn’t have time to worry about them.  That’s why it was part of Amanda’s job and not his.  However, she still hadn’t given him the information he had really been wondering about.</p><p>“How are the rest doing?” he prompted.  She knew what he was asking; she just wanted to hear him actually say it.</p><p>“Several of them are looking very promising.”</p><p>“Amanda…”</p><p>“Lee…if you want to know something specific, then just ask.”</p><p>“Fine.”  He put his fork down and looked her in the eye. “How’s Jim doing?”</p><p>“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Amanda placed her fork down, too.  She sighed.  “He’s fine, Lee.  Better than fine.  So far he’s scoring at the top of the class.”  She smiled. “How did you think he was going to do?  You’re the one who taught him to drive.  You’re the one who took him shooting. You gave him his first self-defense lesson.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “How could he do poorly after all that?” </p><p>Lee gave a dry chuckle and shook his head. “I guess a PhD in Forensic Science doesn’t hurt his observation skills, either.”</p><p>“Exactly.” Amanda gestured at Lee’s plate.  “Now, are you finished eating?”</p><p>He nodded, picking it up.</p><p>She took it out of his hands.  “I’ll put it in the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen.  You go relax.”</p><p>“Amanda, I can take my own plate to the kitchen and rinse it off.”</p><p>She sighed.  “And how often do you get home early enough to just relax?  You’re usually stuck in late meetings, or have to work late because you were in meetings all day.”</p><p>Lee nodded his head, agreeing with her words but not her suggestion.  He pulled the plate back from her.  “Which is why I’m going to bring my own plate to the kitchen and help you clean up.  Then it will get done twice as fast.  And then—” his voice dropped and he stepped closer to her, only the plate keeping them apart, “we can relax together.”</p><p>She smiled flirtatiously at him.  “Why do you think I told Conley I was coming home tonight?”</p><p>“What do you think of the new recruits?” Lee Stetson didn’t get out into the field much anymore (okay, make that <em>ever</em>); he was pretty much stuck behind a desk all day.  At least, when he wasn’t in meetings on Capitol Hill, or with the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security, or with whoever was the Alphabet Soup du jour.   He rarely had time to read reports on something as mundane as the current class of Agency recruits.  Luckily, he knew he could count on his new Field Section Chief to keep him up-to-date.</p><p>Hence, the question he had directed toward her.  After 9/11, it had become simultaneously easier and more difficult to recruit new agents.  The country was awash in an abundance of patriotism and outright anger.  That led to an interesting cross-section of potential candidates.  The variety opened up a surfeit of possibilities that had heretofore been untenable. However, the attacks had highlighted several weaknesses in the country’s defenses, one of which was the depth (or lack thereof) of background checks for people in key positions or in performing preliminary classification. This had complicated the recruiting process due to the tremendous amount of paperwork and man-hours required to do those preliminary background checks. It had also created a nightmare-level flurry of housekeeping in the Intelligence field that had swept his predecessor out the door and ushered him (reluctantly) in.</p><p>Almost a year into his new position, he was still learning the ropes.  He was glad he had people he knew he could trust working with him.  Aaron Jeffries, the Deputy Director who had been in that position during 9/11, had survived the housekeeping that followed the attack, but he had been near retirement.  He had not wanted the Directorship when it was offered to him, but he had agreed to remain in his position while Lee was learning his. Ten months later, Jeffries had judged that Stetson could get along without him, and had put through his retirement papers. He had been working for the last month on a part-time basis as his replacement adjusted to her new duties.</p><p>Francine Desmond’s promotion to Deputy Director of the Agency only eleven months after Lee’s rise to the position of Director had been an interesting turn of events.  She was perhaps the person most surprised at the offer, since she had assumed her somewhat contentious history with Lee Stetson would preclude her from being offered the position. But he was willing to put up with Francine’s provoking behaviors in order to have someone he trusted in the position. Besides, they had both matured over the years, and in fact, he counted Francine as one of his closest friends.</p><p>Francine’s promotion had left the Field Section Chief position empty.  There had been several options to choose from, but it really came down to only one in the end. Francine had surprised him with her recommendation.  How far they had all come from Francine’s snide comments and casual dismissal of everything Amanda represented.  </p><p>It was somewhat out of the ordinary (okay, more like unprecedented) for the Director’s wife to be the Field Section Chief.  It had taken an impressive amount of legal paperwork to get it through, but Amanda was so well-liked and respected that even the other agents who had been up for the position had agreed that she was the best person for the job.</p><p>The inaugural Agency Recruit Class of 2003 was also Amanda Stetson’s first stint as the instructor in charge of it. She had extensive experience with the training program, however.  Her first exposure to  Station One was in her second year as civilian auxiliary, but that experience had been prematurely ended when Russian assassins had attempted to kill her. Her next time through, she had passed it and was able to achieve freshman agent status.  She had then participated multiple times as the ringer over several years (she seemed to possess a talent for appearing inexperienced, and was so friendly and talkative that she could get people to open up about themselves).  She had also served as the assistant instructor through multiple classes of recruits. So she knew what she was doing.</p><p>Amanda Stetson, Field Section Chief of the Agency, didn’t answer her Director husband’s question in the way he had been expecting, especially considering they were eating dinner at home when he asked it. “I think we’ll be losing two of them before the week is out.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Stevens was caught with a cell phone today.  And I’m not sure Zuckman is going to pass the next psych eval.  There’s just something not quite right about him.”</p><p>The names didn’t mean anything to him.  Until they became agents, he didn’t have time to worry about them.  That’s why it was part of Amanda’s job and not his.  However, she still hadn’t given him the information he had really been wondering about.</p><p>“How are the rest doing?” he prompted.  She knew what he was asking; she just wanted to hear him actually say it.</p><p>“Several of them are looking very promising.”</p><p>“Amanda…”</p><p>“Lee…if you want to know something specific, then just ask.”</p><p>“Fine.”  He put his fork down and looked her in the eye. “How’s Jim doing?”</p><p>“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Amanda placed her fork down, too.  She sighed.  “He’s fine, Lee.  Better than fine.  So far he’s scoring at the top of the class.”  She smiled. “How did you think he was going to do?  You’re the one who taught him to drive.  You’re the one who took him shooting. You gave him his first self-defense lesson.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “How could he do poorly after all that?” </p><p>Lee gave a dry chuckle and shook his head. “I guess a PhD in Forensic Science doesn’t hurt his observation skills, either.”</p><p>“Exactly.” Amanda gestured at Lee’s plate.  “Now, are you finished eating?”</p><p>He nodded, picking it up.</p><p>She took it out of his hands.  “I’ll put it in the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen.  You go relax.”</p><p>“Amanda, I can take my own plate to the kitchen and rinse it off.”</p><p>She sighed.  “And how often do you get home early enough to just relax?  You’re usually stuck in late meetings, or have to work late because you were in meetings all day.”</p><p>Lee nodded his head, agreeing with her words but not her suggestion.  He pulled the plate back from her.  “Which is why I’m going to bring my own plate to the kitchen and help you clean up.  Then it will get done twice as fast.  And then—” his voice dropped and he stepped closer to her, only the plate keeping them apart, “we can relax together.”</p><p>She smiled flirtatiously at him.  “Why do you think I told Conley I was coming home tonight?”</p><p>“What do you think of the new recruits?” Lee Stetson didn’t get out into the field much anymore (okay, make that <em>ever</em>); he was pretty much stuck behind a desk all day.  At least, when he wasn’t in meetings on Capitol Hill, or with the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security, or with whoever was the Alphabet Soup du jour.   He rarely had time to read reports on something as mundane as the current class of Agency recruits.  Luckily, he knew he could count on his new Field Section Chief to keep him up-to-date.</p><p>Hence, the question he had directed toward her.  After 9/11, it had become simultaneously easier and more difficult to recruit new agents.  The country was awash in an abundance of patriotism and outright anger.  That led to an interesting cross-section of potential candidates.  The variety opened up a surfeit of possibilities that had heretofore been untenable. However, the attacks had highlighted several weaknesses in the country’s defenses, one of which was the depth (or lack thereof) of background checks for people in key positions or in performing preliminary classification. This had complicated the recruiting process due to the tremendous amount of paperwork and man-hours required to do those preliminary background checks. It had also created a nightmare-level flurry of housekeeping in the Intelligence field that had swept his predecessor out the door and ushered him (reluctantly) in.</p><p>Almost a year into his new position, he was still learning the ropes.  He was glad he had people he knew he could trust working with him.  Aaron Jeffries, the Deputy Director who had been in that position during 9/11, had survived the housekeeping that followed the attack, but he had been near retirement.  He had not wanted the Directorship when it was offered to him, but he had agreed to remain in his position while Lee was learning his. Ten months later, Jeffries had judged that Stetson could get along without him, and had put through his retirement papers. He had been working for the last month on a part-time basis as his replacement adjusted to her new duties.</p><p>Francine Desmond’s promotion to Deputy Director of the Agency only eleven months after Lee’s rise to the position of Director had been an interesting turn of events.  She was perhaps the person most surprised at the offer, since she had assumed her somewhat contentious history with Lee Stetson would preclude her from being offered the position. But he was willing to put up with Francine’s provoking behaviors in order to have someone he trusted in the position. Besides, they had both matured over the years, and in fact, he counted Francine as one of his closest friends.</p><p>Francine’s promotion had left the Field Section Chief position empty.  There had been several options to choose from, but it really came down to only one in the end. Francine had surprised him with her recommendation.  How far they had all come from Francine’s snide comments and casual dismissal of everything Amanda represented.  </p><p>It was somewhat out of the ordinary (okay, more like unprecedented) for the Director’s wife to be the Field Section Chief.  It had taken an impressive amount of legal paperwork to get it through, but Amanda was so well-liked and respected that even the other agents who had been up for the position had agreed that she was the best person for the job.</p><p>The inaugural Agency Recruit Class of 2003 was also Amanda Stetson’s first stint as the instructor in charge of it. She had extensive experience with the training program, however.  Her first exposure to  Station One was in her second year as civilian auxiliary, but that experience had been prematurely ended when Russian assassins had attempted to kill her. Her next time through, she had passed it and was able to achieve freshman agent status.  She had then participated multiple times as the ringer over several years (she seemed to possess a talent for appearing inexperienced, and was so friendly and talkative that she could get people to open up about themselves).  She had also served as the assistant instructor through multiple classes of recruits. So she knew what she was doing.</p><p>Amanda Stetson, Field Section Chief of the Agency, didn’t answer her Director husband’s question in the way he had been expecting, especially considering they were eating dinner at home when he asked it. “I think we’ll be losing two of them before the week is out.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Stevens was caught with a cell phone today.  And I’m not sure Zuckman is going to pass the next psych eval.  There’s just something not quite right about him.”</p><p>The names didn’t mean anything to him.  Until they became agents, he didn’t have time to worry about them.  That’s why it was part of Amanda’s job and not his.  However, she still hadn’t given him the information he had really been wondering about.</p><p>“How are the rest doing?” he prompted.  She knew what he was asking; she just wanted to hear him actually say it.</p><p>“Several of them are looking very promising.”</p><p>“Amanda…”</p><p>“Lee…if you want to know something specific, then just ask.”</p><p>“Fine.”  He put his fork down and looked her in the eye. “How’s Jim doing?”</p><p>“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Amanda placed her fork down, too.  She sighed.  “He’s fine, Lee.  Better than fine.  So far he’s scoring at the top of the class.”  She smiled. “How did you think he was going to do?  You’re the one who taught him to drive.  You’re the one who took him shooting. You gave him his first self-defense lesson.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “How could he do poorly after all that?” </p><p>Lee gave a dry chuckle and shook his head. “I guess a PhD in Forensic Science doesn’t hurt his observation skills, either.”</p><p>“Exactly.” Amanda gestured at Lee’s plate.  “Now, are you finished eating?”</p><p>He nodded, picking it up.</p><p>She took it out of his hands.  “I’ll put it in the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen.  You go relax.”</p><p>“Amanda, I can take my own plate to the kitchen and rinse it off.”</p><p>She sighed.  “And how often do you get home early enough to just relax?  You’re usually stuck in late meetings, or have to work late because you were in meetings all day.”</p><p>Lee nodded his head, agreeing with her words but not her suggestion.  He pulled the plate back from her.  “Which is why I’m going to bring my own plate to the kitchen and help you clean up.  Then it will get done twice as fast.  And then—” his voice dropped and he stepped closer to her, only the plate keeping them apart, “we can relax together.”</p><p>She smiled flirtatiously at him.  “Why do you think I told Conley I was coming home tonight?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Thursday, January 16, 2003 (Station One, Day 4)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Thursday, January 16, 2003 (Station One, Day 4)*</p>
<p>Amanda’s alarm went off at 4:00 AM.  Despite the early hour, she had no trouble waking fully.  She and Lee had gone to bed rather early, and despite (or because of) their amorous activities, had still managed to get a good night’s sleep.</p>
<p>As she stretched her arm to shut off the alarm, she felt Lee shift behind her. “I miss the days when we could just play hooky every once in a while,” his husky voice whispered in her ear.</p>
<p>“Me, too,” she agreed, then turned over so she was facing him. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through his short, graying hair and allowed her eyes to roam over his face. Even after almost 16 years of marriage, she still thought he was the most handsome man she knew.  She leaned forward and kissed him. </p>
<p>When she pulled back, she sighed regretfully.  “Well, in a month we can sleep in if we want.”</p>
<p>He smiled at the reminder of their anniversary, coming up in a month, and their plans for a vacation.  “I’ve got Francine filling in for me, and the reservations are all made. As long as no federal disasters happen between now and then, we can expect to be sleeping late every day of our vacation.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like heaven.” She gave him a quick kiss, then prepared to roll away from him. </p>
<p>“Hey, hold on.” Brushing Amanda’s hair back from her face, Lee looked into her eyes.  “I love you.”</p>
<p>She smiled lovingly back at him.  “I love you, too, Sweetheart.” She dropped her forehead forward to rest against his, soaking in the moment of peace.</p>
<p>She gave him one last squeeze, then let go and sighed.  “Duty calls.”</p>
<p>**SMK**</p>
<p>Though Agent Evan Conley, who was acting as her assistant instructor, was on site overnight, Amanda still had to get there bright and early in the morning.  They took turns staying overnight and on duty, but breakfast was served at 6:00 AM and training activities began at 7:00. So an early start was necessary.  She also needed to deal with Angela Stevens first thing this morning, as she had apparently not taken the “No cell phones or recording equipment” directive seriously.</p>
<p>She showed her badge at the security gate and pulled her car through when the guard opened it. Thinking about the day ahead, she made a mental note to talk to Agent Morales to get his opinion of Angela Stevens.  Morales was acting as the ringer during this session and had been interacting with the other recruits.  He might have some information to share that could affect her final decision about what to do with Stevens.</p>
<p>She parked the car and got out, making her way to the office first.  Agent Conley was there already, looking over a file. He looked up as she came in.  “Good morning, Evan.  Anything happen overnight?”</p>
<p>He shook his head.  “No, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>“Is Stevens still in Cabin 18?” </p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am. She’s been under guard all night.  We searched her assigned cabin for any more contraband, and didn’t find anything.”  He held out the file he had been looking at.  “Here’s the report.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.”  As she started reading through the report, she flicked her eyes up to meet his.  She smiled.  “You don’t have to call me Ma’am, Evan. I told you to call me Amanda.”</p>
<p>“Begging your pardon, Ma’am, but you’re the section leader, and you’re married to the <em>Director.” </em> He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m not really comfortable being on a first-name basis with the Director’s wife.”</p>
<p>Amanda smiled.  “He’s human just like the rest of us, Evan, but suit yourself.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>Shaking her head, she continued to review the report on Stevens.  “Have you heard from the Tech department yet?”</p>
<p>“They confirmed that the cell phone is one of the new ones that has a built-in camera.  There were no pictures stored in the memory, but they’re still checking her computer and email to see if she took any and then deleted them from the phone.”</p>
<p>“Okay, let me know if you hear anything else.” She placed the file on her desk and looked at the time.  Breakfast was almost over.  She needed to check with Morales to see if he had noticed anything suspicious about Stevens, but until she knew whether the recruit had sent any pictures to anyone from Station One, she couldn’t make any final decisions.</p>
<p>“Go ahead and let Stevens out of the cabin and have her join the others.  I assume someone brought her breakfast?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>“Keep an eye on her.  I’ll also have Morales and Jamie watch out for her and listen to see if they hear her say anything.” She sighed.  “She probably won’t.  They all know there’s a ringer in the group.”</p>
<p>Amanda thought for a moment, then nodded.  “Okay, let’s have them practice sparring with partners first thing.  Make sure you partner Morales and Jamie together.  Then as they are practicing, we can walk around and talk to them, give them pointers, correct any mistakes we see.  I’ll talk to Morales and Jamie then.”</p>
<p>Evan nodded.  “Do you care who I pair with Stevens?”</p>
<p>“No, it doesn’t really matter.  Just make sure that each pair are far enough away from each other that I can talk to them without anyone else hearing me. Once we’ve gotten around to all the pairs, make them switch and spar with another partner. You can pair Stevens with Morales in the second set.  Then give them a break.  That’ll give them the opportunity to talk.”</p>
<p>They each grabbed their own clipboard and then left the office.  Evan turned right to go retrieve Stevens, and Amanda turned to the left, walking to the small cafeteria.  She put her clipboard under her arm so she could rub her hands together in the cold.  She opened the door, hoping it would warm up later in the day when they needed to be outside. Station One was a much more pleasant place to be in the warmer months of the year.  The recruits were waiting inside the small cafeteria, unwilling to go outside until it was necessary. There was a low murmur of voices as they sat and chatted in small groups and pairs.</p>
<p>Amanda blew her whistle and the recruits all stood up. </p>
<p>“This morning we’ll be starting with some sparring.  You’ll be assigned your partners when we get over to the gym.  So grab your water bottles and let’s move out!” The group started gathering their things.</p>
<p>One of the female recruits raised her hand. “Yes, Ms. Leonard?”</p>
<p>“Ma’am, we’re missing Angela Stevens.”</p>
<p>“She’ll meet us over at the gym.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>Amanda led the recruits at a steady pace toward the building that held the gym where they practiced sparring and self-defense.  When it was warmer, they had an outdoor area that they could also use. She held open the door and let all the recruits in.</p>
<p>She saw Evan arriving with Stevens, and she nodded at him. </p>
<p>“Alright, you’ll each be paired with another recruit and you’ll practice what we went over yesterday.” He glanced around at the group.  “Mrs. Stetson and I will be coming around to give you some constructive suggestions. After a while, we’ll switch partners so you can get used to fighting with people of different abilities, sizes, strengths… you get the picture.”</p>
<p>“Listen for your name.” He consulted his list.  “Sanders and Mcguire, you’re together.  Morales and King, Underwood and Rios, Zuckman and Willis, Stevens and Gilmore, Hobbs and Leonard, and Shaw and Ortiz.” He looked around at the group.  “Spread out throughout the whole gym.  You need space around you to avoid injuring any of the other pairs.”</p>
<p>The recruits started grabbing gloves and headgear and partnering up.  Conley adjusted where a few of the pairs were standing, moving them farther apart.  “Alright, let’s get started!” He blew his whistle.</p>
<p>The recruits started out slowly, feeling out their partners’ abilities.  Amanda and Conley watched, making notations on their clipboards. After about two minutes, the two separated, each of them moving toward one of the pairs.  Amanda visited Hobbs and Leonard, critiquing and making suggestions.  She made a few notes and moved on to Morales and King.</p>
<p>Amanda smiled at the ringer agent and her younger son.  “Keep an eye out for Stevens and let me know if you notice anything out of the ordinary. Morales, you’ll be partnered with her next.  Try to get her to open up.  We’ll take a break afterward and maybe she’ll say something to you.”</p>
<p>She nodded her head at them. “Keep up the good work.” She made a few notes on her clipboard and moved on to the next set of recruits.</p>
<p>**SMK**</p>
<p>After lunch, they split the group up.  Willis, Sanders, Mcguire, and Underwood went to their defensive driving class with Agent Conley.  Morales, Hobbs, Gilmore, King, Ortiz, Shaw, and Leonard went to the shooting range with another instructor. Zuckman and Rios went to do their second-level psych evaluations. Stevens went with Agent Stetson to the office.</p>
<p>“Have a seat, Miss Stevens.”</p>
<p>The young woman (24 years old, unmarried, realtor and notary public, from Redbridge, Massachusetts) sat down in the chair across the desk from Amanda.</p>
<p>Amanda pushed a button on the tape recorder beside her. “I’ll be recording this interview for legal purposes. Please answer all questions verbally.” She pulled out a document from the file in front of her and slid it across the desk. “Is this your signature?”</p>
<p>Angela Stevens looked down at the paper.  “Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>“And you signed it of your own free will?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am,” the recruit answered quietly.</p>
<p>“For the record, the signed document is the standard form 18ND, the non-disclosure agreement, which includes the clause specifically forbidding any communications, photographic, or recording equipment.” Amanda pulled the form back across the desk, glancing down at it before returning it to the file folder.  “Said clause was separately initialed, indicating agreement.”</p>
<p>“Miss Stevens, you are both a realtor and a notary public.  You know the importance of reading any legally binding document before signing it. Did you read the non-disclosure agreement before you signed it?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>“And yet, you brought a cellular phone with a built-in camera onto the Station One campus.” Amanda looked at the recruit with a stern expression.  “While we at the Agency recognize that agents may have a tendency to cut corners and sometimes may have to break a few rules to get their jobs done, we take security concerns very seriously. Do you have an explanation for bringing the phone illegally onto campus?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded and gestured with one hand. “Go ahead.”</p>
<p>“Ma’am, I’m a single mom.  I have a three-year-old daughter and this is the first time I’ve been gone from her overnight.  My mom is watching her, but I just couldn’t be gone this long without being able to talk to her, or without my mother being able to contact me.”</p>
<p>Amanda sighed.  “Miss Stevens, we do have a phone available for emergencies, which is why the number was given to you in your orientation paperwork.” She paused.  “Maybe the Agency is not the right fit for you. A young, single mother with a toddler may find the odd hours and travelling to be incompatible with motherhood. There will be many occasions when you are unable to keep in contact with your mother and daughter.”</p>
<p>“I understand that.  I just wanted—” she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “When 9/11 occurred, my daughter was just about to turn 2 years old.  This world that we’re in now—that’s the only one she’ll remember.  She’ll grow up in a world where America has been attacked on our own soil, where you can’t even watch your loved ones leave or arrive at the airport gate.” Her shoulders slumped.  “I’ve seen the damage to the Pentagon.  I’ve been to the site of the Twin Towers. I want to be able to do something to make this world a safer place for my daughter.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded.  She had said something similar to Lee once, when he asked why she continued to work at the Agency despite the danger.</p>
<p>“Miss Stevens, I’m still waiting to hear confirmation from the tech department that you did not take, save, or email any pictures of this campus on your phone.  We are also looking into the calling history on the phone.  If we find anything suspicious, you may be subject to legal charges.”</p>
<p>Angela Stevens’ eyes got wider.  “Oh, no, Ma’am, I didn’t take any pictures.  I only got that phone a few days ago.  I haven’t even taken one picture with it. And I’ve only called my mother on it since I got here on Monday.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded. “We’ll have to confirm that.  I think for now, I’ll let you continue through the course.  But you might want to see about another path rather than becoming an agent. There are many positions in the Agency that could help you make the world a safer place for your daughter, but wouldn’t keep you away from her, either.”   </p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am.  I’ll definitely think about it.”</p>
<p>Amanda smiled at the young mother.  “When I joined the Agency, I had two young sons, though they were older than your daughter is now.  I felt the same way about making the world a safer place for them.” She stood up and looked at the clock.  “Why don’t you go back to your assigned cabin and review your notes.  The next session begins at 3:30.  You can rejoin the rest of the group in classroom 2 then.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Friday, January 17, 2003 (Station One, Day 5)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Friday, January 17, 2003 (Station One, Day 5)*</p>
<p>Lee woke up, not recognizing where he was for a moment before he remembered surprising Amanda at Station One. Looking at the clock, he realized it was early enough that he could stay in bed.  He wrapped his arms more snugly around his wife.</p>
<p>“Mmm.” She pushed back a little, loving the feeling of his arms around her. “Lee? Everything alright?”</p>
<p>He nuzzled into her neck, dropping a loving kiss below her ear.  “Everything’s fine.  I just woke up and couldn’t remember where I was for a minute. It’s only 1:30. Go back to sleep.”</p>
<p>“I’m not going to be able to go back to sleep if you keep kissing my neck like that.”</p>
<p>He chuckled.  “That actually wasn’t my intent.”</p>
<p>Amanda gave a sleepy laugh.  “I wouldn’t object, but we both have to get up early.  You have to go home to shower and change before going into work, and I have to finish my paperwork and prepare for Dodge City.” She yawned and pulled Lee’s arms even more tightly around her.  “Hmm. You’re so nice and warm.”</p>
<p>She started drifting off again, but then she remembered something from earlier in the day. “Jamie told me today that he was proud to be my son.”</p>
<p>“He has reason to be,” he whispered into her ear. “You are a special woman.” He loosened his right arm from where it was clasped around her and brushed the hair away from her ear so he could whisper directly into it. “You have the ability to bring out the best in people. If I had never met you, I would have probably ended up a lonely, bitter man, if I’d even lived. I’d never have made it to where I am now.”</p>
<p>“Oh, Lee…”</p>
<p>“You’re the only one I can be open and lighthearted with.  This job is tough, stressful.  You know it is, you know most of what I deal with.  But knowing I can come home to my smart, loving, beautiful wife and just be accepted for who I am…every night I look forward to coming home to you.” He caressed her cheek.  “That’s why I came here to surprise you.  I didn’t want to spend the night without you.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t sleep well without you on Tuesday night,” Amanda admitted, yawning again.</p>
<p>“Me, either.” Lee yawned, too.  “Did you remember to set the alarm after we ate?”</p>
<p>“Mm-hmm.” Amanda pulled Lee’s arm back around her and snuggled deeper into the covers. “Love you.”</p>
<p>“Love you, my Amanda.”</p>
<p>**SMK**</p>
<p>After another 4 AM wake-up, they said a short, but sweet, goodbye. Lee left to go home so he could shower and change into a fresh suit for the day. Amanda got ready, showering and dressing in the Training Officer uniform of a red and gray track suit. Looking around the cabin, she made sure everything from last night was cleaned up before leaving.</p>
<p>She headed for the office.  She hadn’t finished her paperwork last night since Lee had come over, so she had to work on it this morning.  It was just about 5 AM, so she had an hour before breakfast. She should be able to finish it before then.</p>
<p>She unlocked the office door and turned off the alarm. As she walked through the door, she glanced at her desk.  In front of the computer sat a red rose and a folded piece of paper.  “Honestly, why do we even bother with locks and alarms?” Shaking her head and smiling, she opened the note.</p>
<p>It was written in her husband’s slanted left-hand script:  <em>My Amanda-- Everyone whose life touches yours in even the smallest way benefits from it.  I am forever grateful that you saw something in me that was worth sticking around for. I am proud to be your husband. I love you.  –Lee</em></p>
<p>She sighed and wiped away the tear that had slipped down her cheek.  Picking up the rose, she brought it to her nose and smelled its fragrance.  She looked at Lee’s note once more before putting it in her pocket.  She didn’t want to accidentally forget it when she left Station One today.  She wouldn’t be coming back for a while.</p>
<p>With that thought, she sat down at the desk, logged on to the computer, and got to work on her reports.</p>
<p>By six o’clock, she was finishing up with the standard reports and was making her final notations to the recruits’ files.  Evan Conley would also need to add his notes and recommendations to the files. The recruits’ Dodge City scores would be added after today’s events, and then the files would be submitted to the hiring committee.</p>
<p>At about 6:20, Evan walked through the office door.  She updated him on the status of the recruit files, and he said he would get right to work on adding his notations.</p>
<p>“Okay, then I’m going to bring my things out to my car and go eat breakfast.” She picked up two pieces of paper from her desk.  “I’ll post the Dodge City schedule in the cafeteria.”</p>
<p>He nodded.  “Yes, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>“Make sure you lock up and set the alarm when you leave.  I’m not coming back after Dodge City.”</p>
<p>“Will do, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>Amanda logged off the computer and shut it down. Grabbing her clipboard, she attached the two copies of the Dodge City schedule to it.  She picked up the rose from her desk. Sniffing at it again, she smiled and left the office, ignoring Evan’s puzzled look.</p>
<p>She made a quick stop at her cabin to pick up her luggage and purse, then carried everything out to her car, including the clipboard, the rose and Lee’s note. She removed one copy of the schedule from the clipboard, then locked the car.</p>
<p>It was a cold morning.  She had dressed in layers in case it warmed up later, but she suspected all the layers would remain in place throughout the day.</p>
<p>She quickly made her way to the cafeteria, where the recruits were finishing up their breakfast. She walked to the bulletin board and attached the schedule using two thumbtacks.  Turning to face the room, she blew her whistle in a brief trill.</p>
<p>She looked at her watch.  “It is now 6:45. All of you are scheduled for Dodge City today, one person every thirty-five minutes.  The order was randomly assigned, and the lucky first contestant is Mr. Mcguire.” She found the man with her eyes.  “You’ll need to be there by 8:15 and you’ll be given a short orientation before your run starts at 8:30.” She looked around at the rest of the recruits.  “The same goes for all of you.  Arrive at the front gate to check in fifteen minutes before your start time, listen to the orientation, and you’ll be cleared to go in as soon as the system is reset. It’s expected to take you about twenty minutes to get through the course, but it could take up to thirty minutes.” She glanced at the schedule.  “Ms. Rios, you’re second, so your start time is 9:05. Check in by 8:50.”</p>
<p>“Does anyone have any questions about the schedule?” No one said anything, and she saw several heads shaking. “Okay, remember to take all your belongings with you when you leave here today.  You’ll need to leave everything in your vehicles during the test, but then you don’t have to come back here when you’re done.”</p>
<p>She looked around again to make sure everyone understood.  “Directions to Dodge City are on the table next to the door. Make sure you’re not late.  You miss your appointment, and you won’t be getting another one.”</p>
<p>Seeing several nods, she nodded as well.  “I’ll see you all out at Dodge City.”</p>
<p>She turned away and picked up a tray, filling it with her food choices.  Luckily, the cuisine had improved since the first time she had attended Station One.</p>
<p>The recruits had gathered in front of the posted schedule, making comments.  She heard expressions of relief from those scheduled later in the day, and groans from the ones with earlier appointments.  She saw Jamie standing with Mcguire, who seemed to be panicking a bit. Jamie said something to the other recruit, then put his hand on the man’s shoulder.  Mcguire closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  He seemed to calm down a little bit.  Jamie smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder, then walked over to the schedule to see when his appointment was.</p>
<p>She smiled.  Jamie had always been a sensitive boy, and he had grown into a calm, caring, confident man.</p>
<p>The cafeteria started to clear out as the recruits left to prepare in their own ways for the challenge they would be facing today. Evan Conley entered and grabbed a tray, filling it with his choices.  He came over and sat across from Amanda.</p>
<p>“Andy over in the Psych Department emailed.  Says Zuckman’s a no-go. I pulled him from the Dodge City exercises.” He took a bite of his pastry.</p>
<p>Amanda nodded.  “I wondered. There’s just something a little…off…about him.” She took a deep breath, then pushed back from the table and stood up. “Alright, I’m going to head over to Dodge City.  I’ll see you there.”</p>
<p>**SMK**</p>
<p>The trip took about 25 minutes from Station One.  She spent the drive remembering her second time visiting Dodge City.  Her first trip she had taken out a Russian agent, but hadn’t actually had a chance to try the course.  Remembering how unskilled she was at the time, she was fairly sure her score would have been dismal if she had actually tried it.  The second time she had taken the Station One course, she had performed much better.  She had been practicing what she could, and Lee had helped her with some suggestions, too. She had even been practicing her marksmanship, despite still being uncomfortable handling firearms. She had passed the Dodge City exercise by the skin of her teeth, but it had allowed her to be formally accepted as a freshman agent.</p>
<p>Dodge City had undergone quite an upgrade since those first experiences of the course. It practically ran itself now, scoring the recruits automatically using computer sensors that were placed strategically around the “town.” There was a moderator who watched everything on monitors.  Every run was recorded for legal reasons and to be able to review a performance in cases of disputes with the scores. The course itself was mechanized so it could be reset automatically. The moderator was a permanent employee of the course, but the orientation the recruits got before they could make their run was given by one of the Station One instructors, and another instructor would be waiting for the recruits at the end of the course. In this case, Evan Conley would be giving the orientation, and she would be waiting at the end.  The Training Officer could decide which position to take; but considering that the instructor stationed at the end had a large monitor to keep watch on each candidate’s run, she had chosen to take that position.  She had, for the most part, not treated Jamie any different than the other recruits (apart from asking him to listen for information about Angela Stevens, and the hug interlude the other day). She still wasn’t, but she decided that she at least wanted to be able to watch his performance through the course.</p>
<p>After parking her car, she checked in with Nathan, the moderator, making sure that he had the schedule that she had emailed him. He pulled out his paper copy, the one the recruits would sign as they checked in, and gestured at the digital form on the screen in front of him.  “Everything’s set, Mrs. Stetson.”</p>
<p>“Agent Conley will be helping you out with check-in and orientation.”</p>
<p>Nathan nodded. “The course is set.  I did a visual check first thing this morning, and just finished running a mechanical check.  All systems are go.”</p>
<p>“Oh—you can cross off Brad Zuckman from your list.  He’s been removed from the course.”</p>
<p>Nathan nodded.  “Thanks for letting me know.” He crossed the recruit’s name off the paper list and made a small adjustment to the form on his computer.  “All done.”</p>
<p>He looked over at Amanda.  “I heard that your son’s going through today.”</p>
<p>“That’s right.” She gave a proud smile.  “He’s going to do great.”</p>
<p>“I have no doubt about that, Ma’am.”</p>
<p>**SMK**</p>
<p>The course was set up in a way that allowed the recruits some choice about the order in which they performed their run, but funneled them out the same exit no matter which order they chose. Amanda’s station at the end allowed her to do a final check-in with each candidate and give them praise or (in a couple cases) some constructive criticism. Jamie’s run was the second-to-last of today’s appointments, in the 3:30 timeslot.</p>
<p>She had just congratulated the previous recruit on her performance and was anxiously awaiting the beginning of Jamie’s run when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.  She turned her head and laughed.  “Just couldn’t stay away, huh?”</p>
<p>Lee shrugged.  “Could you? If you weren’t the instructor?”</p>
<p>“Probably not.”  She laughed again.  “I think I’m more nervous than Jamie is.”</p>
<p>He looked around to make sure they were alone, then put his arm around her and started rubbing soothing circles on her back. “He’ll do fine.”</p>
<p>“My mind knows that, but my heart still hasn’t gotten the message.” She glanced at the clock next to the monitor.  It read 3:27; three minutes to go.</p>
<p>She looked at him shrewdly.  “That’s how Nathan knew Jamie was going through today. You called to find out the time of his appointment.”</p>
<p>He held up his hands in innocence.  “I admit I called to find out what time James King’s run was, but Nathan made the connection to you on his own.  I didn’t say anything.” He raised one eyebrow.  “You have to admit, ‘Mrs. King’ is practically your code name.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes.  “I haven’t been Mrs. King for a long time.”</p>
<p>Lee smiled smugly.  “That’s right. But your records here have—”</p>
<p>He was cut off by the buzz that indicated the beginning of the next run.</p>
<p>They watched, silent.</p>
<p>Amanda reached out for Lee’s hand and found he had already started to reach for hers. Their eyes met briefly, understanding and love shared in that brief glance.</p>
<p>Neither one looked away from the monitor for the next seventeen minutes and (approximately) forty-eight seconds. Jamie had paused at the beginning, assessing his options, then had proceeded through the course in the most efficient order.</p>
<p>He made it through in just over eighteen minutes.  It wasn’t a record, but he had come close to the standing “best run” time. </p>
<p>As he came through the gate toward the small booth that held the monitor, Dr. James King was pleasantly surprised to see not just his mother, but also his stepfather. “Lee!  You came!”</p>
<p>Lee stepped forward and gave Jamie a brief hug, patting him on the back.  “You did great, son.”</p>
<p>Amanda smiled at the sight of her husband hugging her son.  Trying to avoid crying, she stepped forward and grabbed Jamie as soon as Lee released him.  “Jamie!  That was fantastic! You came close to the record!”</p>
<p>“Wow, I didn’t even think about that, about there being a record to beat.  I thought I was doing pretty well, but I didn’t really have a good sense of time in there.” He looked at his mom.  “What was my final time?”</p>
<p>“Eighteen minutes and seventeen seconds.”</p>
<p>Jamie gave her a look filled with curiosity. “What’s the record?”</p>
<p>She eyed her husband.  “Eighteen minutes and ten seconds.”</p>
<p>Jamie turned to look at Lee.  “You hold the record?”</p>
<p>Lee shrugged modestly.</p>
<p>“To be fair, it was the last time he was the ringer that he got that time,” Amanda pointed out.</p>
<p>“Hey, it was my first time through after they redid the whole course, so it was as new to me as to any of the recruits.” Lee was a bit offended that Amanda had felt the need to point that out.</p>
<p>Amanda shook her head, then turned to Jamie.  “Your final score takes your time into consideration, but there are also other variables. Time doesn’t matter as much as accuracy, for instance.”</p>
<p>He nodded his head.  “That makes sense.  Speed doesn’t matter if you end up missing the ‘bad guys’ and hitting the innocent bystanders.”</p>
<p>“Exactly.” Lee turned to Amanda, giving her a sheepish smile.  “How many more candidates have to go through?”</p>
<p>“One.”</p>
<p>Lee nodded.  “Why don’t we all go out to a late lunch/early dinner? If you’re hungry, that is.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded and looked at her son.  He nodded eagerly.  “I’m starving, actually.  I didn’t eat much at lunch. I was too nervous.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t eat lunch at all, so I’m in.” Amanda glanced at the clock, noting that the next run was about to start.</p>
<p>The booth’s landline telephone rang.  She picked up the handset. “Stetson.”</p>
<p>Amanda listened to the voice on the other end, but looked questioningly at Jamie, who was silently laughing.</p>
<p>“Okay, thanks for letting me know.”  She hung up the phone.  “The last candidate called in and said she wasn’t going to participate in the exercise. I wondered if she would go through with it.  We had a chat yesterday.” </p>
<p>“Stevens?” guessed Jamie.</p>
<p>Amanda nodded, then eyed him suspiciously.  “Now what was so funny?”</p>
<p>He shook his head at himself.  “I’m just not used to hearing you answer the phone that way.”</p>
<p>“What—oh.”  Amanda shrugged and smiled.  “It’s efficient.”</p>
<p>Lee was grinning, too.  Amanda rolled her eyes. </p>
<p>“Okay, where do we want to eat?”</p>
<p>**SMK**</p>
<p>“Too bad Philip can’t be here,” said Jamie as they finished their early dinner.</p>
<p>“When I spoke to him two days ago, he said he was going to be in Turkey.” Amanda thought about her older son.  He was working as a reporter and was never in one place for long.  But that’s how he liked it—always on the move. “I don’t know when he’s planning on being in the States next.  He probably doesn’t know, either.”</p>
<p>Lee placed his napkin on the table.</p>
<p>“Do you have to go back to work?” Amanda asked Lee.</p>
<p>“No, I rescheduled the meeting I had today, and I didn’t have anything else scheduled because of that meeting, so I’m actually done for the day.  Monday’s going to be busy, though.” He smiled at Jamie.  “It was worth it.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad I didn’t know you were coming.  I would have been even more nervous.”  He glanced at Amanda.  “It was bad enough knowing Mom would be there.”</p>
<p>Amanda made a mock-offended face.  “Thanks a lot, Buster.”</p>
<p>Jamie laughed.  “I love you, Mom.” He yawned.  “I think I need a nap. I’m exhausted.”</p>
<p>“You worked hard all week, Sweetheart.”</p>
<p>He nodded.  “I think I’m going to go back to my apartment and sleep until noon tomorrow!”</p>
<p>Jamie stood up.  Leaning over, he gave his mother a hug.</p>
<p>She returned the hug.  “I love you, Jamie.  You did great this week.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Mom.” He pulled back, then held out his hand to his stepfather.  “See you later, Lee.”</p>
<p>Lee shook his hand. “You did us proud this week, Jim.”</p>
<p>Jamie smiled almost bashfully, then nodded his goodbye and walked toward the door.</p>
<p>Lee turned to Amanda and grinned devilishly.  “Hmm.  It’s Friday night. We’re both done with work early.  We’ve already eaten. What trouble can we get into?” He stood up, dropping enough cash to cover the bill plus a decent tip on the table.</p>
<p>Amanda stood up as well, following him toward the door. “Well, whatever trouble we get into, I think we should go home first.  We must have been quite a sight, Jamie in his sweats, me in this oh-so-attractive tracksuit, and you in your suit and tie.”</p>
<p>They walked through the door of the restaurant and toward their cars. “So what you’re suggesting,“ Lee summarized with a playful glint in his eye, “is that we go home and take off our clothes?”</p>
<p>“What I was suggesting,” Amanda corrected primly, “was that we go home and <em>change</em> our clothes.”</p>
<p>“But if we’re not going anywhere else, then we don’t have a reason to change our clothes.” They reached Lee’s car, and he leaned up against it, pulling Amanda into the space directly in front of him.</p>
<p>She placed her hands on his shoulders. “Well, I <em>am</em> feeling kind of tired.  I don’t think I want to go out anywhere.” She grabbed his tie and pulled him toward her.  Lowering her voice, she added, “And it would be pretty silly for you to keep your suit on at home…”</p>
<p>Their lips met in a kiss that started out soft and sensual, but quickly heated up into something a bit more urgent.</p>
<p>Two individual groans later, Lee pulled away, his hazel eyes boring into hers.  “Let’s finish this at home,” he suggested in a gravelly tone.</p>
<p>They separated reluctantly, Lee dropping another, shorter, kiss on Amanda’s lips before she stepped back.  “I’ll meet you there.”</p>
<p>“I can’t wait.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Saturday, January 18, 2003</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*Saturday, January 18, 2003*</p><p>The alarm wasn’t set.  Nevertheless, Amanda woke up early.  Not work-early, but early enough that it was still dark outside. She had always been an early riser, and had difficulty sleeping in unless she had been up most of the night beforehand. Which happened fairly often, actually. If it wasn’t late meetings, then it was emergency phone calls in the middle of the night.</p><p>With a satisfied smile, she realized that somehow, she and Lee had managed to go to bed relatively early the last three nights in a row.  He was still sleeping, spooned up behind her.  There had been no emergency calls to deprive them of sleep.  <em>Well, except our desperate need for each other</em>.  She giggled, then tried to stifle it.</p><p>But it was too late.  Levering himself up on one elbow, Lee leaned over so he could kiss her neck below her ear. “That’s a nice sound to wake up to on a Saturday morning.”</p><p>She shifted onto her back, leaving his face exceedingly close to hers. She lifted her head up enough to deposit a kiss on the tip of his nose, then dropped her head back to the pillow. “Good morning.”</p><p>“Good morning,” Lee replied with a smile.  “Now, what had you giggling so early this morning? I like hearing you happy.”</p><p>“I was just thinking that we managed to go to bed early the last three nights in a row.”</p><p>One eyebrow rose. “And that made you giggle?”</p><p>“Not exactly.”</p><p>He narrowed his eyes, then leaned down and kissed her nose.  “Then what—” he kissed her chin. “<em>Exactly</em>—” he dropped a kiss on her jaw. “Were you—” the next kiss landed on her neck just below her jaw. “Giggling—” he whispered in her ear.  “About?” He kissed her neck just below her ear, then nuzzled several more kisses into the same general area, making her moan and sink bonelessly into the mattress.</p><p>He looked at her face and noted her closed eyes and slightly panting breaths. “Amanda?” he whispered.</p><p>“Hmmm?” Her eyelids lazily opened, revealing her enlarged pupils.</p><p>He brought his face down to hers, so that his breath whispered over her lips. “What made you giggle?”</p><p>Almost hypnotized by his hazel eyes staring into her brown ones, she answered without hesitation. “Usually we get emergency calls in the middle of the night that disturb our sleep.  I had the thought that the last few nights we’ve only been disturbed by our own urgent calls for each other…”</p><p>Lee moved the last millimeter to rest his lips against hers, so she felt his “Mmmm,” before he kissed her. After a moment, he pulled back just enough to say her name again. “Amanda?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“I’m feeling another urgent call coming on.”</p><p>“I noticed…”</p><p>**SMK**</p><p>Amanda heard the door to the garage open and close.  “Lee?”</p><p>She turned the page on the photo album, looking at the pictures and remembering.</p><p>“Hey, what are you up to?”  Lee walked up behind the couch and looked over her shoulder, kissing her cheek as he leaned past her.</p><p>“I was dusting and came across the photo albums.” She gestured at the stack of three books on the coffee table. “I haven’t looked at them in a while.”</p><p>He walked around the end of the couch and sat down next to her. Looking at the page the album was opened to, he smiled.  “I remember that day.  Philip’s basketball team had just won the championship.”</p><p>“Mm-hmm.”  Amanda smiled and slowly turned the page.  “Oh, here’s Philip’s high school graduation. He was so glad that both you and Joe could be there.”</p><p>“And there’s Jim getting his black belt in Kung Fu.” Lee remembered that day.  Jamie had expressed an interest in getting lessons after Lee had shown him some basic moves. Jamie had taken it seriously, and by the time he was 17, he’d earned his black belt.</p><p>“Oh, here’s Jamie’s graduation.”  Jamie, in his cap and gown, stood next to Dotty, who was beaming.  “Mother kept bragging to all of her friends that he graduated a year early.”</p><p>“Well, she was proud of him.  We were all proud of him.”</p><p>Amanda touched her mother’s face in the picture.  “I wish she could have seen Jamie get his doctorates.  She would have been just bursting at the seams.”</p><p>Lee wrapped his arm around Amanda’s shoulders and pulled her into him in a sideways hug. “Both boys have grown into strong, confident, good men with the desire to improve the world.  You and your mother did a wonderful job of raising them.”</p><p>She leaned into him.  “They owe a lot of that confidence and drive to you, too.” Pulling away a little so she could look into his eyes, she placed her hand on his cheek.  “I did what I could, but there are times in a boy’s life that he just needs a man around to show him how to <em>be </em>a man.”</p><p>She leaned in and gave him a tender kiss, her hand still on his cheek. She dropped her forehead on to his, her hand sliding down his neck to rest on his shoulder. “I love you, Lee Stetson.”</p><p>“And I love <em>you</em>, Amanda Stetson.” He stayed still for a moment, sensing that Amanda needed a few seconds to recover from her bout of nostalgia.</p><p>After a long moment, Lee brought his hands up and rubbed Amanda’s upper arms. “Hey, what do you say we barbecue some hamburgers for dinner?  We could invite Jim over, have a little celebration for his performance this week.”</p><p>Pulling back to look him in the eye, she smiled.  “And you can pick out a nice Beaujolais, and we can just have dinner like normal, <em>real </em>people?”</p><p>Lee laughed, his eyes sparkling with the memory. “Well, as normal as a <em>spy family</em> can be.”</p><p> </p>
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